BT Library

Glean

GLEAN (Heb. lāqat, ‘ālal). The Hebrew custom of allowing the poor to follow the reapers and gather the grain that was left behind or the grapes that remained after the vintage (Judg.8.2; Ruth.2.2, Ruth.2.16; Isa.17.6). This custom was backed by one of the agricultural laws of Moses (Lev.19.9; Lev.23.22; Deut.24.19-Deut.24.21). The word is also used figuratively to describe the utter destruction of Israel (Jer.6.9).